Building inclosure



Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648,724

' F. w. DAKIN BUILDING INCLOSURE Filed April '28, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1Nov. 8, 1927 7 1,643,724

' F. W. DAKIN BUILDING INCLQSURE I Filed April 28, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 280? Fig-E. 80

Nov. 8, 1927. 1,648,724 F. w. DAKIN BUILDING INCLOSURE Filed April 28,1925 4 Shets-Sheet 5 Frederick W |/a/(/'/7.

Noy. 8, 192 7.

F. W. DAKlN BUILDING INCLOSURE Filed April 28, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

FREDERICK W. DAKIN, F WESTMOUN'I, QUEBEC, CANADA.

BUILDING INCLOSURE.

Application filed April 28, 1925.

My invention relates particularly to the protection of the men, materialand implements, etc., employed in the erection of buildings, againstdamage from the weather.

Heretofore it has been the practice of contractors to hang canvassheeting over the window openings and fresh work during the erection ofbuildings. Although this is the method in common use for the protectionof buildings, etc., during erection nevertheless the advantage is almostnegligible. It has been proposed, though without beneficial result, toemploy the steel frame of a building in the course of erection tosupport the inclosing material, and this frame is incorporated in thewalls of the building as they are built up or molded. This precludes thepossibility of a portable inclosure complete in itself and capable ofbeing used successively in the erection of a. number of buildings. Ithas also been sug gested to erect a sectional canvas cover to form atemporary inclosure for the ruins of a building partially destroyed byfire and 25 where a part of the four walls and foundation are left. Orit may be applied to a building in the course of erection. The ideainvolves the use of uprights fastened to the wall remnants, and withropes and the canvas sections which are united in a large canopy. Thiscanopy is supported so as to cover the lower floors while rebuilding iscarried on, or in the case of a new building, while the erectionproceeds. These ideas have failed to obtain the desired resultsprincipally because the ideas could be applied only where a building waspartly erected. 7

According to my invention I provide a building of knock-down form withside and end walls and roof. This building is set up on the ground wherea permanent building is to be erected. Its area may beeither slightlyless than that required for the permanent building or slightly greaterso long as its uprights will be in close proximity to the walls beingerected. These uprights are in the form of extensible columns whichcarry frames adapted to be adjusted vertically thereon. The frames carrythe ends of transverse arches which are variable in length toaccommodate buildings of different widths; while bracingand purlinsunite the arches, and the ends ofthe purlins extend beyond the ends ofvthe buildings to provide supports. The arches, bracing and Serial No.26,380.

purlins serve as the roof frame. Canvas curtains cover the roof from thelongitddinal middle line of which they extend laterally and hang down tothe ground at each side of the building; and curtains hang down from arod carried by the projectingends of the purlins. Top and auxiliarybrackets are provided to space the curtains outwardly from the uprightsso as to accommodate the walls being erected. This inclosure is aneffective protection against any kind of weather and may be supplementedwith heaters during the winter season. If desired the inclosure 'may bedesigned to have its columns stand outside of the area intended for thebuilding, in which case the top brackets may be dispensed with and thecurtains anchored directly to the columns, the latter in this case beingbraced by the auxil'ary brackets.

For full comprehension, however, of my invention reference must be hadto the accompanying drawings in'which similar reference charactersindicate the same parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of my improved inclosure;

Figure 2 is an end elevation also partly in section;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of the roof on line 83 Figure2;

Figure 4: is a sectional View taken on line 44 Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a detail fragmentary view of the adjacent edges of twocanvas sections illustrating the manner in which they are fastenedtogether;

Figure 6 is a detail View illustrating the method of fastening thecanvas to the building when the walls of the building are erectedoutside the columns;

' Figure 7 is a detail view of a pair of columns and a verticallyadjustable arch frame mounted thereon;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 Figure 6 and drawn to asmaller scale;

Figures 9 and 10 are detail views of the canvas-fastening brackets;

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11 Figure 12;

Figure 12 is a detail view of the adjustable mount for each arch frame;

Figure 13 is a sectional View taken on line 13-13 Figure 12;

Figure 14- is a sectional view taken on line lit--14; Figure 13;

lit

Figures and 16 are detail views of the fastening between the two middlepanels of each arch frame;

Figure 17 is a detail view of one of the intermediate panels of eachframe;

Figure 18 is a side elevation of the portable heat generator;

Figure 19 is an elevation illustrating a modified form of fastening thecanvas in place;

Figure is a part elevation and part sectional view illustrating thefastening means disclosed in Fig. 19; and

Figures 21 and 22 are detail views of one of the brackets for fasteningthe canvas in place.

In the preferred embodiment of my in vention T employ a knock-down frameconstructed of columns 2 standing on concrete bases 3 on the floor ofthe excavation for the basement of the building to be erected and withinthe boundary of the area of that building. These columns are arranged inpairs at opposite sides, one at each side of the building, and they arepreferably constructed of I-beams in comparatively short lengths unitedby plates 4:. A vertically adjustable frame is carried by each columnand is illustrated in detail in Figures 11 and 12. Each frame consistsof a member 5 of T-cross section, one cross arm of which is bent as at 6around one flange of the column and the opposite arm is provided with aU-bar 7 bolted to the arm of the member 5 and clasping the other flangeof the column. In this manner a sliding engagement is effected betweenthe frame and column. The sliding frames on each pair of the oppositecolumns carry between them a transverse arch. There are therefore asmany transverse arches as there are columns along each side of theprojected building.

The several arches are the same in all respects and each is athree-hinge arch struc ture. Each consists of a series of panelscomposed of middle panels 7 and end panels 8 between which in thepresent embodiment of my invention a pair of intermediate panels 9 and10V are located. These intermediate panels are removable to reduce thelength of the arch and may be exchanged for other panels of differentlength or have additional intermediate panels inserted in the arch toincrease its length to accommodate a wider building. Each end panel iscomposed of a top chord 12, bottom chord 13, and a radial member 115,the chords being connected to the frame 5 by a plate 16 to which thesemembers are riveted while the plate is connected to the frame 5 near itstop by a hinge pin 17 to permit this panel end of the radial member 115is connected,

the. upper end of which is connected to a plate 27 to which the upperend of the top chord 12 is also connected. The middle panel 7 consistsof a radial member 30, a top chord .31 and a bottom chord 32. Thisradial member 30 is common to the middle panel 7 and one of theintermediate panels 9 as the radial member 115 is also common to theintermediate panel 10 and the end panel 8. The panels 9 and 10 eachincludes a radial member 33 icommon to both. The "adial member 30 isconnected to the chord 32 and the bottom chord 35 of the intermediatepanel 9 and the brace 36 of this intermediate panel, by a gusset plate37; while the upper end of this radial member as well as the top chord31 of panel 7 and the top chord 38 of panel 9 are connected together bya gusset plate 39. The lower end of the chord 38, the upper end of thebrace 36, the upper end of radial member 33 and the upper end of the topchord 40, of panel 10, are connected together by a gusset plate 41. Theadjacent ends of the bottom chords 35 of panel 9 and 350 of panel 10 andthe lower ends of brace 351 of panel 10 and radial member 33 are unitedby a gusset plate 353. The upper ends of the top chords 31 of the middlepanels 7 are united at the middle of the arch by a pair of plates 42 and1:20 to which the upper end of the bottom chord 32 is also connected. 42is double with a spreader piece between its parts, and the plate 420 isengaged between these parts, a hinge pin 121 uniting the halves of thearch. The arch thus constructed has its halves held together by a tie-.rod 50, the slack of which may be taken up by a turn buckle 51. Thistie-rod is connected to the frames by ties 15 and 45 connected at theiropposite ends to plates 20 and 46 respectively, the latter being securedto the frames 5. A brace 14 stilfens the connection between the panel 8,frame 5 and the tie rod. The roof frame is stiffened by vertical bracingformed of purlins eX tending throughout the length of the roof andserving to stiffen the top chords of the arches to which they areconnected, strutbracing 81 between the bottom chords of the arches anddiagonal bracing between the two arches at each end of the structure.Diagonal, horizontal bracing 71 completes the stiffening of thestructure. Each arch is so designed that the panel points which arelocated between the ends of the adjacent top chords 31, 38, 4.0 and 1.2and at the center of the arch, all he on the circumference of a circle,and the members 30, 33 and 115 lie on radii of that circle and are ofthe same length. It is for this reason that the intermediate panels areinterchangeable with each The plate other or with shorter panels toobtain an exact adjustment of the span of the arch as may be required.

The purlins 80 project as at 84 about six feet, more or less accordingto requirement, beyond the front and rear arches for a purpose to bepresently described. These purlins are preferably of a length to extendfrom arch to arch except the end ones which project beyond the endarches. The upper portion of the columns carrying the relatively bracedarches are also relatively braced by diagonal bracing 85.

In order to adapt the panels to be separately handled and stored thechords and brace of each of them except the end ones are tied togetherin fixed relation by an iron strap 400 at one end of each of thesepanels, the other end including a fixed radial mem her. The panels maybe of various lengths to suit requirements. In practice I prefer toprovide my building inclosure in convenient length or sizes forhandling, and to this end the panels of the arches are independentsections, and are so stored.

According to this embodiment of my invention the erection ofthe walls ofthe building takes place outside the columns. To accommodate and at thesame time protect the work and workmen and to also present an efficientprotection against the elements, whatever may be the relation of theinclosure to the building being erected, a canvas sheet or a sheet oflike material, of sufficient length to form a cover for the roof andcurtains is attached to the purlins and hangs over the opposite sidesoft-he building. This canvas is preferably constructed in sections ofsuitable dimensions as illustrated in Figure 2, and the sections arefastened together as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the edge of onesection being of pocketform to receive the adjacent edge of the othersection and the two being fastened together by what is commonly known asDutch lacing. In the case, as illustrated in the drawings, where thework goes on outside of the columns I provide the necessaryaccommodation there by a series of top brackets in the form of angleframes fastened to the upper and lower ends of the sliding frames 5 andprojecting out sufliciently to clear the work, workmen and anystructures to implementthe work, such as scafiolding for instance. Thesetop brackets are supplemented by auxiliary brackets 91 bolted to thewall of the building. Each of these auxiliary brackets consists of alength of angle-iron bent to V-form with out-turned ends 92 havingboltholes 93, while the apex is flattened and provided with a ring-bolt94. Ropes 921 are strung through these eye-bolts and extend around thestructure. The curtains are connected to these ropes by cords 95attached to the curtains. In the case of a building erect- In order tocomplete the inclosure of the building being erected front and rearcurtains and 101 are suspended from angle irons carried by theprojecting ends 84 of the purlins and each consisting of a length ofangle iron 102. These end curtains are laced to the ends of the roofcover, and these curtains are secured against displacement by the windby being connected to the front and rear faces of the wall being erectedby the ropes 921. The bottom edges of the curtains are secured to theground by tent pegs 106 or other suitable means of anchorage.

As the walls of the building rise the frames 5 and the roof structurewith the'side and rear curtains are raised to accommodate the work. Themeans I prefer to use to perform this function comprises a mechanismsecured to each column beneath its sliding frames 5 and adjustablevertically on the column. Each of these mechanisms consists of abox-like member 150 having an integral flange 151 along one edge toengage one of the flanges of the column and an angle bar 152 secured tothe other side edge for engaging the other flange of the column as shownparticularly in Figure 6, a ack screw 153 extending vertically throughthe box and held against rotation by a set-screw 154 pr0 jecting into agroove in the jack screw, a gearednut 155 encircling the jack screw andadapted to feed the latter axially when rotated, a gear 156intermesh'ing with the nut, a shaft 157 carrying the last mentioned nutand means for manually rotating the shaft consisting of a ratchet 158and a handle 159, both mounted upon the shaft outside of the box and onebeing fixed thereon and the other free to rotate relatively to theshaft, and a pawl 160 pivotally carried by the handle and reversible.The box-like member is secured to the column by bolts 161 engaging lugs162 on the box and through them the flanges of the column. The slidingframes and their lead are supported in any position to which they may beadjusted by the lifting jack, by a supporting bolt 163.

As the roof and curtains are moved up the columns, lengthening piecesare added to lot) the curtains either at the lower ends or inserted atany level.

To accommodate different widths of buildings different lengths of archesare used. Assuming that an inclosure is required in connection with abuilding of less width than suggested in Figure 2, and where nointermediate panels would be needed, the triangular end panel 8 may havefor instance, the free ends of the panel 7 connected thereto asindicated in Figure 7 or the free ends of the panel 9. The arch may thusbe assembled to accommodate any required width of building by addin asmany intermediate panels to the end panels, -as necessary, hen the archis being assembled a brace 14: must be selected of a length to fit inplace with the contingent change in angular position. A shorter bracemay be used for instance. My building-inclosure may be heated by aportable heat generator equipped to supply hot air under pressure, toensure circulation. It consists of a truck 500, carrying an oil tank501, an oil spray machine 502, an air heater containing a combustionchamber 503, and a system of tubes 504: and battle-plates 505, togetherwith a pipe connection 506 to prO ect the hot air into the inclosure, orany subdivision thereof. A smoke pipe 507 is also provided. The air isforced through the heater and into the inclosure by a fan 50S driven bya motor 509.

In the use of my invention, the site being chosen, the entire structure,the members of which may be fabricated at the contractors shop, isdelivered at the site, concrete bases 3 are then laid and the requirednumber of columns 2 with the roof are assembled in place and thecurtains hung,- after which the interior of the structure may be heatedduring the time that the weather is too cold for concrete or otherbuilding work generally to proceed, the protection afforded by thecurtains and roof preventing rain, snow or other inclement weather frominterfering with the work of erecting the building. The columns areremoved with the balance of the inclosure when the building is completedTo enable the columns to be removed precast blocks are provided. Theseblocks are cast from a gypsum mixture or other inexpensive materialwhich may be readily broken up to release the columns when they are tobe removed. These blocks prevent the concrete of a fioor cementing tothe column. In this manner, with my improved building inclosure, themen, material and implements, etc. employed in the erection of buildingsare protected against damage from the weather, and my improved structurebeing of knock-down form readily lends itself to transportation fromplace to place to be assembled in accordance with the requirements as toarea and height of any projected building.

\Vhat I claim is as follows:

1. A knock-down inclosure to protect a building in the course oferection having side and end walls and roof and comprising verticallyextensible columns; frames slidable vertically upon the columns;transverse arches variable in length to accommodate buildings ofdiflerent widths; means hingedly fastening the ends of the arches to theframes; means uniting the arches; and 2.

cloth covering extending completely over the roof frame and hanging downthe sides of the structure, and means for securing the said clothcovering in place, said means consisting of cords and ropes tying thecovering to the frame.

2. A knock-down inclosure for a structure I under erection having sideand end walls and roof and comprising vertically eX- tensible columns;frames slidable vertically upon the columns; transverse arches variablein length to accommodate structures of different width; means hingedlyfastening the ends of the arches to the frames; means uniting thearches; and a cloth covering extending completely over the roof frameand hanging down the sides of the structure and means for securing thesaid cloth covering in place; and purlins extending beyond the ends ofthe structure and means carried by the projecting ends of the purlinsand supporting the end portions of the hanging covering.

3. A knock-down inclosure having side and end walls and roof andcomprising vertically extensible columns; frames slidable verticallyupon the columns; transverse arches variable in length to accommodatebuildings of different widths, means hingedlv fastening the ends of thearches to the frames; means uniting the arches; means mounted upon saidframes and projecting outwardly beyond the columns and formingextensions of the roof; a. cloth covering eX- tending completely overthe roof frame and hanging down the sides of the structure; and meansfor securing the said cloth covering in place.

4. In a knock-down inclosure for a struc ture in the course of erectionand having columns, an arch variable in length with means for connectingthe arch to the columns. and end arch panels each com posed of top andbottom chords and a radial member, the chords having means con nectingthem together at one end, means pivotally connecting the connectingmeans to a column, and means whereby the panel thus constructed isincorporated in the arch.

5. In a knock-down inclosure for .a structure under erection such asclaimed in claim 1 means for adjusting each frame vertically on itscolumn; said means consisting of a jack screw adapted to engage saidframe, and means for actuating said jack screw.

6. In a knock-down inclosure havin side and end walls and roof andcomprising vertically extensible columns; frames slidable vertically onthe columns; transverse arches variable in length to accommodatebuildings of different widths; means hingedly fastening the ends of thearches to the frames; means uniting the arches; a flexible coveringextending over the roof frame and hanging down over the sides in theform (if curlth) tains; means for spacing the side curtains fromthesides of the structure consisting of laterally projecting angleframes carried by the said vertically slidable frames; and purlinsforming component parts of the roof structure and extending beyond theends thereof for spacing the end curtains from the ends of thestructure, and means for fastening the curtains in place.

7. In a knock-down inclosure for. a structure under erection such asclaimed in claim 1; brackets adapted to be secured in fixed positionthroughout the height of the sides of the structure, and means foranchoring the curtains to said auxiliary brackets.

8. A knock-down inclosure for a structure under erection having side andend walls and roof and comprising vertically extensible columns; framesslidable vertically upon the columns; transverse arches variable inlengthto accommodate buildings of different widths, certain members ofthe arches being connected to said frames at the upper ends of thelatter; tie rods; and means connecting the tie rods to the upper andlower ends of the frame and to the arches, substantially as described.

9. A knockdown inclosure for a struc ture under erection such as claimedin claim 8 characterized by the engagement of the members to the upperend ofthe frame being a pivotal connection for the purpose of permittingangular relations within the arch to be changed as the arch is varied inlength.

10. A knock-down inclosure for a structure under erection comprisingconcrete bases 3, supporting vertically extensible oppositely arrangedpairs of columns 2; supporting frames 5 carried by the several columns;a series of transverse arches sup ported by the frames and each composedof end, middle and intermediate panels, the intermediatepanels beingremovable; each end panel comprising top and bottom chords 12 and 13respectively, and radial member 15; means pivotally connecting thechords 12 and 13 to the supporting frames; vertical and longitudinalbracing means uniting the arches and comprising purlins 80, diagonalbracing rods 71, and strut bracing 81, the purlins projecting beyond theend arches; a flexible cover 60 connected to the purlins and extendingover the roof and hanging as curtains over the sides and ends of thestructure; means fastening the lower ends of the curtains to the groundand means anchoring the body of the curtains to the sides of thebuilding being erected; transverse curtain rods carried by the ends ofthe purlins and having the curtain material connected thereto.

11. A knock-down inclosure to protect a structure in the course oferection and including an inclosure-frame; a covering serving as a roofwith curtains hanging down over the sides and ends of'the inclosure-.

frame, and bracket and auxiliary brackets spacing the side and endcurtains outwardly.

from the'walls being erected.

12. A knock-down inclosure to protecta structure in the course oferection, consist.- mg of. columns androof arches each roof, arch beingcomposed of panels, the panel points in each, located between the endsof adjacent cords, and at the center ofthe arch, lie on thecircumference of a circle and the radial members of which lie on radiiof that circle and being of the same length for the purpose ofinterchanging intermediate panels with other intermediate panels of'different lengths, and means includingsaid' panels for increasing thesize of the inclosure to accommodate the increase in size of thestructure as it progresses.

13. A knockdown inclosure to protect a structure in the course oferection, and means for increasing the size of the inclosure toaccommodate the increase in :size of the structure as it progresses,such inclosure including a knockdown metallic frame with a covering forsuch frame.

14. A knockdown inclosure to protect a structure in the course oferection andclosureto protect a structure in the course of erectioncomprising the combination with columns, of roof arches extendingtransversely between certain of the columns; means carrying the archesand fastening the ends thereof to the columns; means supported frombelow for-vertically adjusting the said arch-carrying means on thecolumns; means bracing the arches together; and flexible meanscompletely covering the roof, sides and ends of the structure thusformed and means for bracing the inclosure from the structure inclosed.

17. A knock-down inclosure to protect a structure in the course oferection such as claimed in claim 16 and having its arches variable inlength to accommodate different widths of buildings to be erected byinterchanging some of the panels thereof with other radial panels ofdifferent width.

18. A knockdown inclosure to protect a structure in the course oferection and including an inclosure-frame, such frame having side andend-wall supporting members, the inclosure-frame comprising verticallyextensible columns; frames slidable vertical- 1y upon the columns, meansfor supporting the frames on the columns; transverse arches forsupporting a roof and being variable in length to accommodate structuresof different Widths means hingedly fastening the ends of the arches tothe frames; means uniting the arches; means bracing the inclosure fromthe structure being erected; and a covering serving as a roof andsupported by the inclosure frame; means bracing the arches together.

19. A knock-down inclosure to protect a structure in the courseofere'ction and including an inclosure-frame such frame hav-' ing sideand end-vvall supporting members, the inclosure-frame comprisingvertically extensible columns; frames slidable vertically upon thecolumns; means for supporting the frames on the columns; transversearches for supporting a roof and being variable in length to accommodatestructures of diflen ent Widths; means hingedly fastening the endsof thearches to the frames; means for stiffening the hinged connections; meansuniting the arches; means bracing the inclosure from the structure beingerected; and a covering serving as a roof and supported by theinclosure-frame; means bracing the arches together.

20. A knock-down inclosure to protect a structure in the course oferection and including an inclosure-frame, such frame having side andend Willi supportlng members;

the inclosure-frame comprising-vertically extensible columns; framesslidable vertically upon the columns; transverse arches for supporting aroof and being variable in length to accommodate structures of differentWidths; means hingedly fastening the ends of the arches to the frames;means for stiffening the hinged connections; means uniting the arches;means bracing the inclosure from the structure being erected; and acovering serving as a roof andsupported by the inclosure-frame; meansbracing the arches together and means for adjustably supporting theframes on the columns.

21. In a knock-clown inclosure to protect a structure in the course oferection the combination With the structure of an inclosure framecompletely inclosing the same and independent thereof a covering servingas a roof with curtains hanging down over the sides and ends, and meanswhereby the inclosure is increased in height to accommodate thestructure protected thereby as it is erected.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FREDERICK W. DAKIN.

